In August, Sardinia was among the top 5 most popular Italian destinations for tourists.
The ranking – based on the OTA saturation rate and average spending – is drawn up by the Ministry of Tourism led by Daniela Santanchè , who has released an initial assessment of the sector in the summer months.
In June alone, the report states, there were 16.79 million arrivals and over 59 million overnight stays in Italy, with an average stay per visitor of around 3.5 nights : numbers, the ministry explains, which "indicate that Italian tourism has shown a clear improvement both compared to 2024 and the pre-Covid period."
"Italy," the ministry continues, " also confirms its leadership in online bookings . In August 2025, the saturation rate of OTA platforms (the automatic system that sends hoteliers information and credentials regarding overnight stays, ed.) reached 39.1% , and in September the trend continued, with 38.3% of accommodations booked. This trend demonstrates not only high demand, but also the competitiveness of average Italian rates , which are more advantageous than those of the main Mediterranean competitors, such as Spain and Greece."
As mentioned, the island is in the top five for saturation rates on OTA platforms. "Some Italian regions," the Ministry continues, "stand out for their excellent performance, contributing to making Italy an increasingly popular destination: in August, the highest saturation rates —above the national average—are recorded in the Autonomous Provinces of Bolzano (52.43%) and Trento (50.85%), Valle d'Aosta (47.54%), Abruzzo (47.37%), Sardinia (45.65%) , and Calabria (45.56%).
Looking at the overall picture, " international tourism in particular showed very positive trends, with an increase in arrivals of +18.34% compared to June 2019 and +13.43% compared to June 2024, and similar growth in foreign visitors, +18.89% compared to 2019 and +20.63% compared to 2024."
The ministry also shows a comparison between the saturation rate and average spending in Italy and that of competitor countries:
- Italy: 39.1% – €166.8 (in Sardinia 46.6% – €195.5)
- Spain : 33.3% - €195.4
- Greece: 31.7% – €244.2
- France : 23% – €139.1
«Italy – states Minister Santanchè commenting on the data – confirms itself not only as a symbol of beauty and culture, but also as a powerful and constantly growing tourist industry , ready to conquer new markets and strengthen its position as leader in the sector».